The Iola register., 1887-01-14
BEETRUS JENKINS
Was Happily Disappointed In a
"Traveler."

Beetir,s Jenkins!" called the owner
of the name, sending her high clear
voice through the boxed space which
served as post-ofiice window.
Eyes, M responded the postmaster,
with that joking freedom which adds so
much spice to the life of general
store-keeper at South Illinois railroad
station. ''Three letters this time. He's
writing nearly every day"
1T wears on you TO keep track of my
correspondence, don't it?" affirmed the
girl, taking her letters and rending
them open with inpatient foretinger.
They We're all addressed, in the same
mercantile hand, to Miss Beatrice Jen-
kns, Wabash Station. Illinois. She
compared the dates Of the postmarks.
and opened the earliest, standing by
the door to read.
The smoke-dimmed interior of the
store was hung with baskets. dry goods,
bacon, ready-made clothing, and boots
and shoes. A skeleton flight of steps
ascended across background of wall
to the proprietor's residence. and up
this flight of steps went neighbor's
barefooted child with coffee-pot to
borrow some household necessity, while
Beetrus read her mail. She was spot
of mellow color betwixt brilliant au-
tumn tints outside and the dim inclos-
ure. The slim, long-tingered hands
holding her letters were nicely gloved.
Her white hat was covered with plumes
Just owning the salmon-pink tint of hel
small woolen shawl. Her dress was
neutral and unobtrusive. Not so, how.
ever, were her black eyes and glowing
cheeks, or the dark hair clustering to
her ears. She was very pretty girl,
and this the ststion-master always men.
tally admitted. He came out OF his
post-office cubby with the mailbag in
his hand.
80 you're going to clear out to-day,
Bee?''
She glanced up, perceptibly starting
and coloring.
-'Goin' by rail or by river?'
.'Ohr' said Beetrus. "Yes, we're
going up the river. Our things are
packed on the White Dove. We'd have
to go so far around and pay so much
freight the other way. But don't like
TO go on a freight boat, and neither
does ma, though the men ere just as
kind and clever as they can be. We
have to sit up ION deck all night, too,
among the machinery and grease"
"Yes, You will. It's twelve hours
run betwixt this and New Harmony
against the current. The White Dove
starts about three o'clock. Will you
be down any during the winter?"
Il guess not. Our man and his wife
ran tend to every thing on the farm.
We never do run back and forth any
after cold weather sets in"
'.And l suppose you'll put the time
in dancin' and takin' music lessons?''
ut isn't so very lively in Harmony;
but I'm going on with my music
That isn't the train?''
'Yes, it is" responded the station.
master. swinging the mailbag as he
walked forth to keep appointment with
the black and kissing locomotive sliding
to its brief pause.
Beetrus flew through the store, ran
down the back steps, and sheltered her
self in woods which stretched away
toward the Wabash. Swift as her exit
was, she scarcely escaped the eye of a
young man who swung himself off the
train. sample case in hand. His face
twinkled humorously, which it could
very well do, being pleasant mus
tached face in spite of the marks of dis
sipation it bore. His trim dress and
brisk air bespoke the prosperous com.
mercial traveller. He went indoors
and swept business-like glance around
before the train steamed away; there.
fore, by the time the station-master had
put up the mail and served one or two
customers, he had a satisfactory order
written out, and professed himself
ready to mount the next train, foI
which he would have to wait quite two
hours.
.'Oh. you know how to put the time
fn," said the station-master, ''as long
as we have any pretty girls left in the
neik6borhood."
The drummer smiled out of the bach
door at huddle of two or tree cabins
and board huts, as if the capacity Of
such place for producing pretty girls
Sas too contemplate joke for him to
meddle with. He said he guessed he
would 60 down to the landing and see
If he couldn't get skiff awile.
betty jenkins will be down that
way" suggested the station-master
-'She was in here minute ago."
''Ran from me-" said the drummer
''I'd kind of advise her to, If she
hadn't" said the station-keeper.